Arch support



Feb. 28, 1939. J, \INYISOWSKII 2,148,974

ARCH SUPPORT I Filed Aug. 1, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 In very tor By 4 M 5% A iiorneus Feb. 28, 1939. J, wysows 7 2,148,974

ARCH SUPPORT Filed Aug. 1, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 v I v Inventor k/o/n /4 Vs0 ws l UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ARCH SUPPORT John Wysowski, Kewanee, 111.

Application August 1, 1938, Serial No. 222,521

3 Claims.

This invention'relates to arch supports adapted to be worn inside of a shoe, and an object of the present invention is to provide a support of this character which will be comfortable for the foot yet simple and practical in its construction.

More particularly the invention is concerned with the provision of pad means forming part of the support for supporting and cushioning the heel and which will relieve the heel of pressure to which it is now generally subjected as a result a of the arch supports now known or in 'use.

A further object of the invention is to embody in the arch support an improved supporting means for the inner arch.

A further object of the invention is to provide in the arch support an improved metatarsal support.

Further, in accordance with the present invention the support is provided with means which will prevent slipping of the support, or the shifting thereof within the shoe.

The invention together with its objects and advantages will be best understood from a study of the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:-

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the arch support.

Figure 2 is a side elevational View thereof.

Figure 3 is an end elevational view of the support.

Figures 4 and 5 are sectional views taken substantially on the lines 4-4 and 5-5, respectively, of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of an anchoring member and retaining plate therefor, said anchoring member and plate being shown separated, and

Figure"? is a perspective view of the body portion of the support.

Referring more in detail to the drawings it will be seen that in accordance with the present invention the arch support comprises a body member 5 made of relatively stifi leather and in the nature of an insole, conforming generally to the configuration of the foot, gradually increasing in width toward the front end to follow the outline of the side walls or upper of the shoe. At one side edge thereof, and in the area of the arch the body 5 is pressed upwardly as at 6 to fit properly against the arch of the foot.

The body 5 on the top side thereof is provided at the heel end with a recess 1 while at the toe or largest end thereof the body 5 is provided with in the region of the arch portion 6 the support 5 is provided with a recess 9 of the configuration shown.

The recess 1 accommodates a heel pad l while the recess 9 accommodates an arch pad I I and the recess 8 accommodates a metatarsal pad l2, the, pads being preferably of the shape shown, being of curved and tapered form and made of soft resilient material such as sponge rubber or the like. In this connection it will be noted that the arch supporting pad H is approximately seg- 1o mental in configuration and conformably fits in the approximately segmentally-shaped recess 9.

The pads I0, I l and I2 are retained within their respective recesses I, 8 and 9 through the medium of a top sheet 13 of soft pliable leather, 15 co-extensive with the body 5 and secured thereto, as by means of a marginal series of stitches 14.

To prevent the arch support from slipping when placed within the shoe there is provided at the heel end of the support an anchoring member 15 in the form of a metallic plate provided at the corners thereof with sharp integral penetrating prongs IS.

The plate I5 is confined on the support between the body 5 thereof and a retaining plate I! of leather or other suitable material and at its marginal edge is cemented or otherwise adhesively united with the body 5 at the underside thereof and in the region of the heel portion of the support.

Obviously the weight of the foot of the wearer will cause the prongs l6 which pierce the pad I! to pierce the sole of the shoe at the heel of the latter and thus prevent any possible slippage or movement of the arch support.

It will be further appreciated that the pads I0,

I I and i2 are so arranged so as to support respectively the heel, arch or instep of the foot and also the metatarsal arch of the foot.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. In an arch support, a relatively stiff main body member having an edge contour conforming to the configuration of a shoe and designed to be arranged interiorly of a shoe, said body member having depressions in the top surface thereof and providing an upper front metatarsal pad receiving pocket, an intermediate elongated archpad receiving pocket and a heel-pad receiving pocket, a pad in each of said pockets, and a cover sheet for the top surface of the body of an edge configuration corresponding to the edge configuration of said body and united with said body at the marginal edge of the latter, said cover sheet serving to retain the pads in said pockets.

2. In an arch support, a relatively stiff mainbody member having an edge contour conforming to the configuration of a shoe and designed to be arranged interiorly of a shoe, said body member having depressions in the top surface thereof and providing an upper front metatarsal pad receiving pocket, an intermediate elongated arch-pad receiving pocket and a heel-pad receiving pocket, a pad in each of said pockets, and a cover sheet for the top surface of the body of an edge configuration corresponding to the edge configuration of said body and united with said body at the marginal edge of the latter, said cover sheet serving to retain the pads in said pockets, and an anchoring member secured to the underside of said body at the heel end of the latter for securing the support within a shoeand against slip-- page or movement of the pad. 7

3. An arch support of the character described comprising a relatively stiff body member conforming to the configuration of a shoe and designed to be arranged interiorly of a shoe, said body member being provided at the inner side edge thereof with a turned up longitudinal arch engaging portion, said longitudinal arch engaging portion being provided on the top side of the body with a depression forming a longitudinal arch supporting pad-receiving pocket, and said body member forwardly of said pocket being also provided in the top side thereof with a depression forming a metatarsal supporting pad-receiving pocket and rearwardly with respect to the firstmentioned pocket with a depression forming a heel supporting pad-receiving pocket, pads in all of said pockets, and a cover sheet for the top side of the body member retaining said pads within the pockets and of an edge contour conforming to the edge contour of said body member and being stitched to the latter by a marginal series of stitches, an anchoring plate for said support provided with integral anchoring prongs, and a retaining disk for the anchoring plate, said anchoring plate being confined between the underside of the body member and said retaining disk and with the prongs projecting through and below the disk, and said retaining disk being adhesively united to the body member at the marginal edges of said disk.

JOHN WYSOWSKI. 

